Just to update my previous posts!
We received our passports request email from Buffalo (for a PR application) on 29th Mar, thus indicating that our medicals must now have been processed, so we travelled to Port of Entry (Peace Arch - BC) and requested extensions of our temporary work permits (expiry April 15th) with my husbands PNP letter of support. We flagpoled without difficulty as we are Visa Exempt(Irish citizens) for USA. Then we went to Canadian Border Services, and officers were well informed and accepted our reasons for applying at POE. They did suggest that we could have applied via Vegreville and been on 'Implied Status' for a period, however we explained that we were concerned about losing our MSP and needed to leave Canada at end of April and so wished to remain 'in status'. We indicated that I worked as a nurse and so my OPen spousal permit needed to have no restrictions, the officer stated that he had checked my Medical Status and that all was up to date and in order, and issued permit without conditions. We paid the $300 to the cashier and recieved our permits without any difficulty - the permits were issued for 2 yrs, though we will likely have our PR confirmed within the next month! Anyhow, this was just our experience - but it is entirely at the discretion of the Border Services agent to decide on each case individually, so it is not always certainty that they will issue permits, however we went away happy this time!
Good luck to others in same boat.
Helena.
